To Where and Back Again - Part 2, also formatted as To Where and Back Again: Part 2 and To Where and Back Again Pt. 2,[1][2] is the twenty-sixth episode of season six of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the one hundred and forty-third overall. It is the second part of a two-part season finale.

Contents

Production

Regarding two MLP scripts[3] of Discord episodes[4] for this season,[5]John de Lancie stated "I think it's a two-parter" on September 30, 2015[6]—before reading the material[7]—and recorded on October 7,[8] 2015.[9]

In a Twitter conversation on February 20, 2016, Jim Miller mentioned his being "excited to see what folks think of the end of S6 b".[10]

The title was revealed on Zap2it on September 5, 2016 with the same summary as Where the Apple Lies, before it was removed immediately after.[12]

On October 5, 2016, Jim Miller was told about a claim of Sunset Shimmer being in the season 6 finale and clarified that she is not.[13][14][15]

The episode premiered on United Kingdom television channel Tiny Pop on October 7, 2016 at 8:00 AM BST (07:00 UTC) which is more than fifteen days prior to its scheduled airing on Discovery Family, three days prior to the scheduled airing of Top Bolt on Tiny Pop, and more than one day prior to the scheduled airing of Where the Apple Lies on Discovery Family.[2][16][17][18]

When asked on Twitter on October 22, 2016 why a song was not featured in the finale, Jim Miller replied, "There was no room due to the scope of the story."[19]

Summary

Storming the castle

All non-changeling magic is disabled in the Changeling Kingdom.

On the outskirts of the Changeling Kingdom, Discord is confused as to why he and his allies didn't instantly teleport to Fluttershy's location. Before Thorax can explain or Starlight Glimmer can make a plan, Discord attempts to storm the changeling castle on the back of a flying pig, but as soon as he breaches the changelings' perimeter, his magic fades away. Thorax explains that Queen Chrysalis' throne is carved from ancient dark stone that soaks up all non-changeling magic, rendering Starlight, Trixie, and Discord virtually powerless.

As before, Starlight's friends look to her for guidance, despite her discomfort being in a leadership role. Hesitantly, she makes a plan for them to infiltrate the hive, destroy the throne, and regain their magic. On their way to the hive, Discord and Trixie squabble. Starlight suggests they come up with a way to identify each other in case they get separated, like a secret code. After Discord trips over a rock, Trixie comes up with the code phrase "klutzy draconequus", much to Discord's chagrin.

Starlight the leader

Discord vs. Trixie.

Inside the hive, Starlight, Discord, and Trixie find the inner layout to have a constantly shifting geography; chamber doorways are always opening and closing in random locations, and only changelings are able to navigate it. As Starlight and her friends traverse the inner workings of the hive, Starlight is unsure how they will even destroy the throne when they find it, and Discord and Trixie continue to argue.

Starlight is barely able to keep it together being thrust into her role as leader, and the situation is made worse when they become lost in the hive in spite of Thorax's navigation. As Trixie gives up hope, she asks Thorax about changelings' feeding habits, and Thorax explains that he hasn't been hungry since meeting Spike, despite the fact that changelings are always hungry. He also explains that, since becoming friends with the Crystal Ponies, he has disregarded his usual feeding habits, and his wings became embedded with crystal.

Starlight is more of a leader than she thought.

When Discord loudly announces his intention to save Fluttershy, he attracts the attention of a changeling patrol. Starlight Glimmer comes up with the idea of Thorax disguising himself as Trixie and evading the changelings with smoke bombs. After giving them the slip, Starlight expands her plan further by following some of the changelings to Chrysalis' throne room.

Creating a distraction

Starlight and her friends follow the changelings to Chrysalis' inner sanctum, but with the hive now on high alert, the entrance is heavily guarded. Trixie is out of smoke bombs, so Discord distracts the changeling guards with stand-up comedy. The changelings chase after him, allowing Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax to enter the inner sanctum.

Fluttershys, Fluttershys everywhere, and not a tissue in sight.

Discord eventually eludes the changelings in a cocoon nursery, and he reunites with Fluttershy, sobbing with her tail caught under a rock. Fluttershy is overjoyed to see Discord, but Discord immediately recognizes this to be a trap. As Fluttershy continues to cry, numerous crying Fluttershy duplicates appear, and Discord is left wondering if one of them is the real Fluttershy.

Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax wait for Discord to return, but Trixie believes he might have been captured, and Thorax suggests they move on toward the throne room. Just then, Discord appears to regroup with his friends and says he learned from the changelings where the throne room is. However, he doesn't recognize their "klutzy draconequus" code phrase, and the others immediately realize he's a changeling.

Trixie gets caught by the changelings.

As "Discord" leads his friends down the left path at a fork in the road, Thorax warns that he's leading them into an ambush. Trixie volunteers to distract the changeling while Starlight and Thorax find the throne, but Starlight is unsure of moving on without her best friend. Trixie assures Starlight that, even without magic, she has been an excellent leader thus far. After Trixie distracts "Discord" with a magic trick that binds their wrists together, Starlight and Thorax escape, leaving Trixie to be captured by the waiting swarm.

Confrontation with the queen

As Starlight and Thorax continue running from the changelings, they split up in order to avoid capture. Eventually, Starlight finds her way into Chrysalis' throne room and discovers the throne – as well as all of her friends trapped in cocoons on the ceiling. Unfortunately, Chrysalis had been waiting for Starlight to arrive, and the changelings come out of hiding to restrain her.

Thorax in the clutches of his changeling brethren.

Chrysalis brags that she thought so little of Starlight that she didn't bother replacing her with one of her changeling drones. With all of the most important and powerful ponies in Equestria captured, Chrysalis is certain of her victory. However, Starlight reminds her of Thorax, and Chrysalis angrily tells her not to mention the "traitor". As Chrysalis threatens to teach Thorax a lesson for betraying the hive, Starlight's eyes glimmer with a blue light, and Chrysalis realizes that Thorax has been in front of her the whole time.

Meanwhile, Starlight herself attempts to break the throne, but she is caught in the act and forced to take shelter from Chrysalis' attacks inside the hollow throne. Despite this development, Chrysalis remarks that everything has gone according to her plan to harvest all the love in Equestria and feed her hive for generations.

Learning to share love

Starlight Glimmer vs. Queen Chrysalis.

Remembering Thorax's crystallized wings and satisfied hunger, Starlight proposes to Chrysalis that she and her changelings don't have to take others' love by force. Chrysalis dismisses this notion, stating that changeling hunger can never be satisfied. Starlight explains that ever since Thorax made friends and started sharing love, he hasn't needed to feed as often as changelings usually do.

Starlight's words start to reach the changeling drones, but Chrysalis is still dismissive of the claims of a "mewling grub". Despite her powerlessness, Starlight confronts Chrysalis directly, understanding what it's like to lead through fear and intimidation.

"A real leader doesn't force her subjects to deny who they are. She celebrates what makes them unique and listens when one of them finds a better way."

— Starlight Glimmer

Thorax shares the love inside, resulting in a drastic metamorphosis.

Ignoring Starlight's words, Chrysalis starts to drain the love that Thorax gained from the Crystal Ponies. Thorax is unable to hold onto the love inside him, so Starlight tells him to share it with Chrysalis willingly. This creates a tremendous burst of light that blows Chrysalis away and transforms Thorax into a new form of changeling: he is now taller with a green coat, orange pincers, and luminescent wings, and the holes in his hooves have been healed.

The other changelings follow Thorax's example of sharing love and take on similar, colorful forms. The resulting magical energy causes Chrysalis' throne to explode, and the ponies that the changelings captured are all freed. As Princess Luna commends Starlight on her accomplishment, Chrysalis emerges from the rubble. Starlight Glimmer stands before her again, telling her that she can be a leader her subjects deserve, and offers her hoof in friendship. However, Chrysalis rejects Starlight's offering and swears absolute revenge upon her before flying away.

Epilogue

With Chrysalis' abandonment of her kingdom, Thorax is declared the changelings' new ruler, and Princess Celestia looks forward to improving relationship between ponies and changelings. Discord proposes a tea celebration at Fluttershy's Cottage, but Starlight Glimmer has a better idea.

Starlight Glimmer embraces being a leader.

Starlight returns to her old village, and Double Diamond and Party Favor are surprised to see her again after the way she left just recently. Starlight expresses how much she has changed since she first founded the village and how comfortable she is being a more positive and listening leader. With that in mind, she offers to help oversee the remainder of the Sunset Festival and asks to allow her other friends to join, to which the villagers happily agree.

As the ponies join in the festival, Discord and Trixie reconcile after their earlier arguing, and Discord even offers to incorporate some of his chaos powers into her magic act.

"Hah! When pigs fly!"

— Trixie

Taking Trixie at her literal word, Discord conjures up a pair of untamed flying pigs, and he and Trixie go flying down the street, much to the confusion of the Mane Six and Spike.

Discord: I don't suppose you brought any throne-destroying tools along with these useless sideshow props?

Trixie: Asks the Lord of Chaos who can't go for a walk without whining nonstop!

Discord: Yes, but when the throne is destroyed, I'll be able to rip the very fabric of reality to save our friends, while you'll still be a self-absorbed, below-average illusionist!

Trixie: Self-absorbed?! Why, you...!

Starlight Glimmer: At least Thorax knows where we're going.

Thorax: Um, guys? I think we're lost.

Discord: [taps microphone] Hello, changelings and changelettes! Believe me, I was just as surprised as you are that I'm here! When I heard that I'd be playing for a bunch of changelings, I was beside myself! Then I realized, it was just one of you.

[rimshot]

[changelings snarl]

Discord: [nervous laugh] But, seriously, this isn't the toughest crowd I've ever been in front of. But it's definitely the easiest to bug!

[rimshot]

Discord: "To bug"? Is this thing on? [taps microphone]

[changelings snarl]

Discord: Well, if you think that you can do any better, be my guest!

Trixie: [sighs] Okay, I'll handle it. You two just get ready to run into the other tunnel.

Starlight Glimmer: Wait, what?! Trixie, you can't! I won't know what to do! We've already lost Discord; I can't lose you too! Without magic, I—

Trixie: Starlight. You got us this far with just my illusions and Discord's annoying personality. You don't need magic to figure out what to do next. I know you're afraid to be in charge, but you are really good at it! Listen to your best friend.

Queen Chrysalis: Well, well, well. The Princess of Friendship's sole pupil. Honestly, I didn't think you were worth replacing with one of my drones.

Queen Chrysalis: There is no revenge you could ever conceive of that will come close to what I will exact upon you one day, Starlight Glimmer!

Discord: Splendid idea! Now who's ready for some celebratory tea at Fluttershy's?!